The Dismissal

Early morning.

Gu Qingshan changed into his work clothes, ate in the staff cafeteria, and soon arrived at his laboratory.

It took him about five minutes to finish the project he had applied for. Then he started daydreaming.

Something was still wrong.

He kept finding himself unable to recall certain things.

The battles fought on the brink of life and death, the memories of commanding the Human Race's armies against the demons, even many sword techniques and combat experiences—all of them had slipped from his mind.

Only some trivial memories of everyday life remained clear.

Was he going to be an idiot forever?

"System, can't you unseal my memories ahead of time?" Gu Qingshan asked.

Ding!

"Traveling through the river of time will attract the attention of terrifying beings. The system must seal your memories and power to ensure you go unnoticed," the system said.

"When will I get my memories back?" Gu Qingshan asked.

"Please wait patiently. After traveling between worlds about two more times, you will awaken all your past memories," the system said.

Gu Qingshan sighed.

With even his memories sealed, he was practically an incomplete person.

—The price of being reborn was too high.

What exactly was the War God Operating Interface afraid of?

As he pondered this, an electronic voice suddenly sounded.

"Hello, employee number 41157. Director Su requests that you wait in the company lobby."

Gu Qingshan froze, then got up and headed outside.

Researchers in the middle of their work were never disturbed unless summoned by a senior company executive.

But this made no sense. The Goddess of Justice had personally said yesterday that the matter would be kept confidential. That meant she wouldn't tell anyone.

So why was the Su Family looking for him?

Gu Qingshan took the elevator all the way to the company lobby.

Two people in black uniforms walked toward him.

"Gu Qingshan?" one of them asked.

"That's me."

"Come with us. Madam requests your presence at a banquet."

The only person they would call Madam was the First Branch's Madam Su, Su Xue'er's mother.

Gu Qingshan stiffened, then answered, "All right."

The two men led Gu Qingshan out of Changning Steel Armor Technology Company and onto a Flying Shuttle, which headed for the Su Family estate.

After flying for about twenty minutes, the shuttle descended beside a wide-open lakeshore.

Gu Qingshan stepped off and gazed out at the shimmering lake and its vast, rippling waters, surrounded by mountains.

An island lay at the center of the lake. That was where the Su Family lived.

The Su Family of the Nine Prefectures, one of the founding families of this country.

"Please take a small boat to Lake Island," the guide said, then left.

Gu Qingshan thanked him and strode toward the lakeshore.

He had no objections. He knew the rules here: flying vehicles like shuttles weren't allowed to pass over Lake Island.

This was partly for safety, and partly a matter of etiquette.

A small boat was waiting by the shore.

Another young man stood aboard it.

"You must be Gu Qingshan," the young man said with a smile.

"I am. May I ask who you are?" Gu Qingshan replied.

"My name is Bai Hongyu. I'm from White Sand County." A trace of arrogance showed on the young man's face.

White Sand County's prefect was also surnamed Bai.

Since this young man was standing here and had been given the chance to take a boat to the Su Family estate, he was most likely from one of the Federation's nine great families: the Bai Family.

"Pleased to meet you." Gu Qingshan said this and started to board.

Bai Hongyu blocked his way. "Wait."

Gu Qingshan stopped and looked at him.

Bai Hongyu lifted his chin. "Someone as lowly as you shouldn't attend a Su Family banquet. Otherwise, all the nobles there will feel uncomfortable."

"Madam Su invited me," Gu Qingshan said calmly.

Bai Hongyu gave him a mocking smile. "Go back. I'll tell Madam Su you were ill and had to leave."

"What if I don't go back?" Gu Qingshan asked.

"I'm from the Bai Family of White Sand County. The Bai Family Head is my father. That's all I'll say. You should know what will happen if you don't do as I say."

"Please move aside," Gu Qingshan said.

Bai Hongyu stared at him, as if he were looking at a fool.

He shook his head. "This is Su Residence. I don't want to do anything rude here, but I can guarantee you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Gu Qingshan grinned. "I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life right now."

Lake Island.

The Su Family garden.

A middle-aged woman sat upright in a pavilion, wholly absorbed in brewing tea.

"Reporting in: Bai Hongyu and Gu Qingshan have reached the lakeshore, but there's been a bit of a problem."

"What kind of problem?" the middle-aged woman asked without turning around.

"It seems the two of them got into a conflict. In the end, only one of them boarded the boat, and he's on his way here."

A smile touched the middle-aged woman's face. She murmured to herself, "Bai Hongyu has grown up. He knows how to win without fighting. Good. That's what it means to be a noble."

"Madam, that's not what happened. Gu Qingshan was the one who boarded the boat."

The middle-aged woman asked in surprise, "What happened to Bai Hongyu?"

"Gu Qingshan stripped him naked and kicked him into the lake."

The person reporting spoke softly. "The people who came with the Bai Family have all boarded the island in separate groups and are waiting. Only Bai Hongyu was left outside Lake Island, waiting for the boat in accordance with the customs of a marriage proposal. That's how Gu Qingshan was able to pull this off."

"Outrageous." The middle-aged woman closed her eyes, then calmed herself. "Bring Gu Qingshan to see me. Take Bai Hongyu to the back to change his clothes, then send him to the banquet. I'll go over personally and explain in a moment."

"Yes, Madam."

The middle-aged woman had lost all interest in brewing tea. She sneered and murmured, "And a toad thinks he can leap into the sky in a single bound?"

She sat quietly, waiting for that annoying young man to arrive.

The moment Gu Qingshan walked in, he recognized her.

Madam Su looked so much like Su Xue'er, and she appeared in the news so often that it would have been hard not to recognize her.

"Hello, Madam Su." Gu Qingshan bowed.

Madam Su glanced at him. "Don't speak. Just listen."

Gu Qingshan paused. Sure enough, he could hear many voices coming from nearby.

This was the back garden. The banquet hall and hunting grounds were just ahead.

The wind carried the sounds over, making them perfectly clear.

Amid the din, some people were discussing world affairs, while others quietly exchanged views on business deals. As for the women, they were discussing which clothes and handbags were in fashion, or where to go on vacation.

Madam Su waited for Gu Qingshan to listen for a while before asking, "What did you hear?"

"A lot of military and national affairs, and inside information about business deals," Gu Qingshan said.

"That's right. The people discussing military and national affairs are officers with the rank of major or higher. Those discussing business deals are members of the Su and Bai Families. They're planning to invest hundreds of billions together to build a new company."

"What they do not only drives the Federation forward, but also changes the lives of hundreds of millions of ordinary people."

"As for those women, any random dress or handbag they mention is a luxury item you couldn't afford even after working for several years."

Madam Su looked at Gu Qingshan. "You're so lowly, so poor and powerless. If Su Xue'er hadn't pleaded for you, do you think you could have joined the Su Family's Steel Armor research company?"

Gu Qingshan was silent for a moment, then replied seriously, "Madam Su, my skills are enough to qualify me for the research department."

"You still don't understand?" Madam Su shook her head.

She opened her communicator and gave an order. "Fire Gu Qingshan from the Steel Armor research department. Carry it out immediately."

As soon as Madam Su finished speaking, Gu Qingshan's communicator rang.

There was only one sentence on the other end.

"Effective immediately, you are fired."